Why We Need Art

Greetings All,

I have been trying to write a (brief) summary on why we need art. I believe art is essential to individuals and communities and wanted to share a short piece on why art is necessary in our life. If you have thoughts or ideas to add to this summary please feel free to share.

Art, in its many forms, exists in every community, every culture, and every country, art has been created since time began, evidenced in cave paintings and rock art, and in today’s world we know that art can be a major economic driver, yet we continue to question the worth of art.

Too often I have heard someone dismiss a work of art by saying, “I could do that” or “I don’t understand it”. Perhaps not placing value on something that we ourselves could make or expecting an easy answer says more about the loss of thoughtfulness and creativity in our world, and only magnifies our need for the arts.

Here are a five reasons why we need art:

Art is a Natural Behavior - Creating art is primal behavior, children instinctively make art the world over. Like language and laughter, art is fundamental behavior; it is part of who we are.

Art is Communication – Art, like language, is a medium to express ideas, to share information and offers us a method to express what we may not necessarily fully understand or know how to express. Art ask questions, upsets us, and calls us to action.

Art is Healing–Art relaxes and sooths us. The process of creating provides us time to look inward and reflect. Art provides a release. Art incorporated both physical and emotional activity and engages our whole self.

Art Tells Our Story – Art is a history lesson, an historical record, a preservation of culture, and an autobiography. Art provides cultural identity, history would be lost to us and our story would not be told.

Art is a Shared Experience –The creation of art is a collective activity, dance, theatre and choir all require a group of artists and audience. Even the solitary painter or poet relies about the craft of the paint-maker or book-binder to create art.

\"If I could say it in words there would be no reason to paint.\" - Edward Hopper